Could we have a rational debate on immigration?

December 5, 2025

Peter Hughes writes that there ‘is absolutely nothing wrong with having a debate on immigration’. Indeed not. He failed, however, to make a rational contribution to such a debate. He was too busy demonising those who question very high immigration levels as those who come out of the Trump camp. Some of us regard Trump as anathema yet can still question the economic, social and environmental effects of hyper-migration that has been the case post-Covid. Unlike Hughes, some of us can distinguish between reasonable immigration rates and unreasonable ones - or unsustainable ones if you prefer.

And the bottom line on sustainability is ecological sustainability. Our State of the Environment reports have shown a steady decline in the environment for many years, and they cite population and economic growth as the two main drivers. Net overseas migration (NOM) makes up about three quarters of population growth; more so in 2023 when NOM reached a peak of over half a million. If we want to arrest the decline in the environment, we have to stop the human encroachment on other species’ habitats. This we do through urban expansion and growing ever more food.

We are not blaming migrants, rather government policy.